The Yule Ball Experience
by jessiCA8
Summary: Another Christmas - another Yule Ball. Hermione thinks she knows who she's going with. But does someone else think otherwise?
1. Default Chapter

A/n- Hey y'all people! This is just a little Christmas fic I have been workin on for your holiday enjoyment. Even if ya dun't celebrate Christmas I hope ya still enjoy it. This has my two favorite pairings in it! Hope ya like 'em too. Happy holidays! Cheers. And please dun't 4get to REVIEW as a Christmas present to 'lil 'ol me. Tanky you! (* p.s I put Hermione's thoughts in italics, although I dun't kno if they'll show up.  
  
  
  
Ah, Christmas. One of the loveliest occasions at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Snow glitters on the grounds and the Great Hall is filled with greenery. Ah, the Yule Ball. One of the loveliest Christmas traditions at Hogwarts. Loved by some, hated by others, feared by all. Hermione Granger sighed and leaned back in her chair at the Gryffindor table. Dumbledore had just made the announcement about the yearly ball, saying it would be bigger than last years. Hermione dreaded it.  
  
It's not like I don't have fun at the ball. Hemione thought. Fourth year was a doozy. I had Viktor Krum - a famous Qudditch player as my date, I made Malfoy speechless, and I got drunk off of Butter Beer. Great stuff. This year though, there's no Viktor to come to my rescue, and my hair's as bushy as ever, and no one will ever ask me, and.. oh, shut up! I am going way too far with this. Anyway, if worst comes to worst, I can always go with Ron or Harry.  
  
As Hermione told herself this, she looked at the two boys. And scratched the idea very quickly. Ron was staring with half-glazed eyes at Lavender Brown, and Harry was, well, definently NOT looking at Cho Chang. His gaze was fixed intently on -  
  
Ginny. Hmmmm. I always thought Harry felt more than he let on about her. Well good. Harry better take her, now that I've caught him staring. Forget those two taking me now. There has to be someone. Probably not.Hermione thought, gazing around the table. It looks like everyone has already paired themselves up with someone.  
  
Hermione was very right about the Gryffindors pairing themselves up with people. Dean Thomas had already started making googly eyes at Parvati. The Weasley twins were each smiling at Alicia Spinnet and Angeline Johnson. And Neville was looking, with a hopeful expression on his face, at...  
  
Ginny. Oh, well, looks like Neville's hoping to take her to the ball again. Tough luck, with Harry noticing her now. Hermione sighed and stared down at the toast on her plate. That leaves no one to take me.. At least no one in Gryffindor. And I don't really know anyone in the other houses, so, I guess I'll just watch everyone else have fun. Or I could go to the library. Yes, that would be perfect! I could get a head start on exams, because by then, they'll only be four or five months away, and..  
  
Hermione suddenly interrupted her own thoughts. She felt someone staring at her, their eyes on her bowed head. Hermione looked up at the person sitting opposite her at the Gryffindor table. It was a boy, and he seemed very embarrassed that Hermione had caught him looking. He gave her a small smile (all the while turning as red as Ron's hair), then turned his face away. Hermione continued to stare, then realized she was making the boy feel uncomfortable. She felt confused and bewildered, because while everyone in the Great Hall was drooling over the person they wanted to go to the Yule Ball with, Seamus Finnigan had been staring at Hermione with a kind of determined look. 


	2. The bet

A/n- What's there to say - 2nd chapter. Please review and tell me what ya think by clickin on the little box at the bottom of the page, k?  
  
Disclaimer: Duh. It's all J.K.Rowlings ('cept 4 the plot, that would be mine.) If you haven't figured that out yet, then ya must have had a long stay on Mars.  
  
1 The Bet  
  
Hermione continued to stir her potion with big sloppy movements. The green liquid that was the Clearing Potion splashed over the sides of her caldron.  
  
" Granger! Kindly watch what you're doing! I do not appreciate having stains on my dungeon floors. Five points off of Gryffindor." Snape barked.  
  
" Sorry Professor." Hermione replied. She hadn't meant for the potion to go all over his dungeon floors, but it was really hard to pay attention when someone you've known for four years suddenly starts staring at you in "That Way." It had been two days since the Yule Ball announcement and two days since Hermione had started getting some unexpected attention. She was not very focused.  
  
" Herm, are you ok? You've been kind of weird ever since Monday." Harry said.  
  
" Yeah, Harry's right. You've been avoiding the Common Room too." Ron chimed in.  
  
" I'm fine guys. It's just." Hermione trailed off.  
  
" It's just what?"  
  
" Well, you know Seamus Finnigan?"  
  
" Yes, Hermione. We know Seamus Finnigan. We've known him the whole time we've been at Hogwarts.," said Ron slowly. " Harry, I think she hit her head or something." he whispered silently to his friend. Harry nodded.  
  
" I did not hit my head! But Seamus Finnigan. Has he been acting weird lately? Maybe?"  
  
" Weird how?" asked Harry.  
  
" Weird like how he's been looking at me for the past hour and then whispering to Dean?"  
  
" Huh?!" Ron spun around to look at Seamus and Dean, who were all the way in the back of the room. Seamus was indeed staring at Hermione, but looked down guiltily when he saw Ron. " But why would he be interested in you?"  
  
" Ron. Do we need to go over this again like last year? Some people have noticed that I'm a girl. And since the subject of the Yule Ball has come up, I thought that maybe he's interested in "That Way".  
  
" Herm. We've known Seamus for four years. It's always Lavender that's caught his attention (Ron said this part rather bitterly, as we all know that his eyes glaze over when he looks at Lavender). Errol would fly as fast as a CleanSweep 7 before Seamus asked you to the ball.  
  
" Oh, yeah?" Hermione said, a little hurt. Not that she cared if Seamus ever asked her out, it's just that Ron still didn't think that a guy could like her like that. Oh, she would show him.  
  
" Actually, I think he has been looking at Hermione more for the past few days." Harry said.  
  
" Told you Ron."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
On the other side of the dungeons, a group of Slytherins were in a huddle. They were also discussing Hermione's, er, personal life, and her new attention from Seamus.  
  
" Look at him. He's practically drooling." Pansy Parkinson said. " It's disgusting."  
  
" I think it's rather funny." another Slytherin girl replied.  
  
" Who would have ever thought someone would be interested in the Mudblood? She'll probably jump with joy when he comes asking her out." Pansy replied.  
  
" You think?" asked Draco Malfoy. " Granger's probably still missing Krum. She won't want to go to the bloody Yule Ball with anyone. She'll probably just spend time in the library. I bet, that if Seamus Finnigan asks Granger to the ball, she'll say no. I bet she'll say no to anybody that asks her."  
  
" Oh you bet do you?" asked Pansy slyly.  
  
" Yeah, I bet. I bet you ten gallons she won't go to the ball with anyone." Draco replied.  
  
" No no Draco dear. We're not betting money. That's for kids. Here's the bet: You have to ask Granger to the ball."  
  
" What?!" Draco interrupted. " Where did that come from? I said I bet that she wouldn't go to the ball with anyone. I never said anything about asking her out!"  
  
" This is my bet. You either take it or leave it. I suggest you take it though, if you don't want everyone in the whole school to know about - Mr. Twinkles (Draco's stuffed Penguin,that he sleeps with every night)." Pansy said in a mocking tone.  
  
" Who?" the nearby Slytherins asked.  
  
" Nobody!" Draco replied quickly. " Go on Pansy."  
  
" Good. Now as I was saying, here's the bet: You have to ask Granger to the ball." Draco grimaced. " If she says yes, and you last all the way through the ball with her, then you win. If she says no, goes with someone else, or leaves you at the ball, then you loose. Deal?"  
  
" Wait. What do I get if I win?"  
  
" I'm getting there. If you win, then I promise not to hang all over you for the rest of the year."  
  
" Really?!" Draco said, a little to eagerly.  
  
" Yes." Pansy said, narrowing her eyes. " But, if you loose, then you get to become my servant for a week, and Mr. Twinkles gets out. Agreed?"  
  
Draco thought it over. If he said no, the rest the Slytherins would know he was a coward. They might even send a letter to his father, saying that Draco had turned down a bet. His father would be very pissed off that his son had turned down a bet. But he hated Granger - and going to the Yule Ball with her would be hell. Not to mention the fact that if he lost, he was Pansy's slave for a week. But if he won, then she was off his back for the rest of the year. That would be bliss. The rest of the Slytherins stared at him expectantly. Here goes nothing. He thought.  
  
" Agreed." said Draco. " Just wait and see. Granger is going to drool when she finds out that I'm going to take her to the ball." he said, overconfidence spilling out of his mouth. But he knew, deep down, Hermione Granger would rather go to the ball with one of the school owls, then with him. 


	3. The asking

A/n- chapter 3! How's Draco gonna get Hermione to go to the ball w/him? What's all this new attention from Seamus about? And what in the hee-haw is Hermione thinking through all of this? Read to find out! (and ya know you wanna find out) (*  
  
DISCLAIMER: What do you think?  
  
THE ASKING  
  
  
  
The Yule Ball was in two weeks. Two weeks! That was hardly any time. And Seamus Finnigan needed more than two weeks to get up the courage to ask clever, beautiful Hermione Granger to the Yule Ball. He was getting rather desperate.  
  
" Dean. When do you think I should pop the question?" Seamus asked his best friend, as they sat up late in the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
" Pop the question?" Dean replied. " You sound like you're getting married. It's just the Yule Ball. All you have to do is go up to her after class or something and be like : Yo Hermione. Wanna go to the ball with me? It's simple. By the way, when did you start liking Miss. Smart-aleck Granger?"  
  
" I dunno. It just happened. One year I thought she was some annoying book worm that hung out with Harry and Ron, and this year she's Hermione the clever pretty witch. It just happened."  
  
" Man, you have problems. I thought you liked Lavender."  
  
" Well, I did. But earlier this year, I realized that she's a shallow ditz, that doesn't know the difference between the front and back end of a wand. So there."  
  
" Yeah Seamus, you have definently got problems. But they're good problems. So tomorrow, you're going to go up to Hermione Granger, and you're going to bare you're soul to her."  
  
" Umm, Dean? Can't I just ask her if she wants to go to the Ball with me? If we get past that step - then I'll bare my soul."  
  
" Sure Seamus. Sure. We'll do it your way." Dean said, grinning at his love-struck Irish friend.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Up the staircase and five doors down from where Seamus and Dean were talking, Hermione lay in her bed, unable to sleep. All she could think about was proving to Ron that she was a girl - a damn good one at that. And Hermione decided at that moment, that if some guy (namely Seamus Finnigan, since he seemed to be interested) asked her to the ball, she would say yes in a heartbeat. It didn't matter what house or what year he was in. It only mattered that he wanted to go to the ball with her. That would show Ron that she was a girl. That would show the whole school that Hermione Granger was not just an old stick-in-the-mud that hung out with famous Harry Potter - she was also a girl.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Draco Malfoy also lay un-sleeping. He was trying desperately to think of a way to ask Mudblood Granger to the ball - and get her to say yes. He could use a potion, but quickly decided against it. She would be able to tell, the clever little witch that she was. Or he could pretend to be someone else throughout the whole ball, and then reveal himself at the end. But Draco decided against that too. It would ruin his reputation. People would think he had to look like someone else - just to get a date. Couldn't have people going around thinking that. No, it looked like the only way to ask Granger was to do it in person, after classes. To her face. In front of Potty and Weasel. And hope for the best. Which wasn't saying very much.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning found Hogwarts covered in a white blanket of snow. Many students looked longingly out their common room windows, before dragging themselves down to breakfast.  
  
" Come on! You can play in the snow after classes!"  
  
" But Herm, nobody will miss us at breakfast! Really! Fred and George snuck out early this morning." Ron whined.  
  
" I give up." Hermione had been trying to talk Harry and Ron out of having a snowball fight during breakfast, but it was a loosing battle.  
  
" Good! Let's go Harry. We have an hour at the least." and with that, Harry and Ron raced out of the Common Room and down the stairs. Hermione just shrugged and made her way to the Great Hall.  
  
" As long as they're not late for class." she muttered.  
  
Which, of course they were late for class. Both boys walked into Charms 15 minuets after the bell, dripping wet, huge grins on their face. They quickly apologized to Professor Flitwick, then took their seats next to Hermione.  
  
" Hermione, you should have been there. It was great!" Harry said.  
  
" Yeah, and Fred and George came and ambushed us, and we had this huge fight." Ron added.  
  
" Well, I hope you're happy. Busting in here, soaking wet, late."  
  
" Herm, it's ok. Really. Flitwick's not going to do anything about it." said Ron.  
  
" Maybe not, but I am." said a voice. There standing in the doorway, was everyone's favorite professor, Snape. And he sounded pissed. "Professor Flitwick, may I borrow Potter and Weasley for a moment?'  
  
" Certainly Severus." squeaked Flitwick.  
  
Both boys looked extremely miserable at hearing this. Hermione just gave them An I told you so look.  
  
They came back in minuets later, very angry.  
  
" He said he saw us outside, and said that we were breaking school rules, skipping breakfast to have a fight." Harry hissed to Hermione.  
  
" And he's given us detention, right after the last class of the day - which is his class." Ron moaned.  
  
" It's double potions today too." Hermione said, a teasing grin on her face. " Triple the Snape."  
  
" Arghhhh!" said Harry.  
  
" This day is going to suck." Ron concluded.  
  
" Arghhhh." said Harry.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*`*`*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The day dragged by, boring class after boring class (at least, that's what it felt like to Harry and Ron. Hermione sat through classes in her usual state of rapt attention).  
  
Potions finally arrived. Of course, it didn't help the day get any better, what with it being with the Slytherins. Class seemed unbearable to all the Gryffindors, especially Neville, who messed up yet another potion, and Seamus, who was becoming more nervous by the minute. He was very sure Hermione was going to turn him down when he asked her to the ball. All through class, he stared at the back of her head, and imagined it shaking no when he asked her. It was horrible. Just as Snape was about to rear his ugly head once more on an un-suspecting Neville, the bell rang.  
  
" Class dismissed." He said bitterly. " Oh, except for Potter and Weasley. Come on."  
  
Both boys groaned, and bid Hermione good-bye.  
  
" If we're not back by tomorrow morning, send a house elf to check for our bodies, hey Hermione?" Ron said.  
  
" Sure, sure." Hermione said, in a half daze. She had just spotted Seamus Finningan starring at her with a nervous expression. She knew what was coming.  
  
" Herm? Harry asked. You okay?"  
  
" Yeah, I'm fine. You better go, Snape's looking a little steamed."  
  
" Yeah, come on Harry, let's get this over with."  
  
" Okay." Harry said, still looking a little uncertainly at Hermione, who was marching toward the doors with a set look on her face.  
  
Ron followed Harry's gaze. " Girls. he said. Confusing, the lot of them."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Draco Malfoy was quickly going over his plan of attack. He had just seen Hermione come out of the classroom - alone. Wonder where Potty and Weasley are. Oh well, this just makes things easier. Sort of. He thought.Draco started walking over toward Hermione, praying his sharp- Malfoy tongue wouldn't get the best of him.  
  
Seamus Finnigan wrung his hands together. He was trying desperately to think of what he was going to say to Hermione. He had thought of everything - compliments of every kind. But they sounded stupid, and desperate. And Seamus was not in the mood to sound desperate. Well, I'll just say what ever comes out, and hopefully it will be something Hermione says yes to. I just have to go do it right now. He thought, as he saw Hermione walk out of the dungeon.  
  
Hermione walked out the door, and into the unknown. Actually, she walked smack into two people, and all three fell on the floor. Hermione stared at the two other people: Draco Malfoy and Seamus Finnigan. And she became very afraid. Very afraid. And highly confused. She could understand why Seamus was walking towards her, but why was Malfoy?  
  
" Umm, hi Seamus. What do you want Malfoy?" Hermone said, trying not to sound surprised.  
  
" Hi Hermione." Seamus said eagerly.  
  
" Yeah, hi Gra- Hermione." Malfoy said sweetly.  
  
" Come again Malfoy?"  
  
" I said hi Hermione."  
  
" That's what I thought."  
  
" Well, Hermione, Seamus said, I was wondering if. ummmm"  
  
" Well Gran- Hermione I was wondering." Malfoy tried to say.  
  
" Will you go to the ball with me?" two voices asked at the same time.  
  
Now Hermione had expected to hear this from Seamus. But when Malfoy said it too, she was clear blown away. In fact, she thought she was going to be blown all the way to Bermuda or some place like that. She was rather shocked, if not scared to death. And Hermione could very well tell that Draco Malfoy was not pulling a prank, otherwise there would have been a million Slytherins all around to laugh.  
  
" Malfoy, did you just say what I think you said?" asked a very confused Seamus.  
  
" Yes, I did Finnigan. I want Hermione to go to the Yule Ball with me."  
  
" Oh. Well, so do I , and since I don't think she wants to go to the ball with a filthy Slytherin like you, I think you should walk away now and pretend this never happened."  
  
" Whoever said she wanted to go with you Irish boy?" Draco asked, taken aback.  
  
" Say that again pretty boy." Seamus yelled.  
  
" Pretty boy, eh? We'll just see about that. I'm gonna sock you so good that."  
  
" Umm, Malfoy. Shut up. I think Hermione, umm, went somewhere."  
  
" Oh."  
  
" Great. This is just great. This was NOT supposed to happen. I was just going to go up, nice and slow, and start a conversation. You know, Nice weather, how's class, wanna go to the Ball with me? That's all. Then you came along and spoiled it."  
  
" Oh, I spoiled it? Who bumped into her?"  
  
" I didn't. You did. And you made her run off too. Why couldn't I have just asked her in the Common Room?"  
  
" Get over it Finnigan. I mean, you really had no chance with her. Why would she pick some sandy-haired Irish punk over a suave blonde rich guy?"  
  
" Let me count the ways Malfoy."  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
While all of this, umm, conversation was going on, Hermione had run away and shut herself up in her dorm. She was desperately wishing she had gone out in the snow that morning and gotten detention with Snape. That way, she wouldn't have heard what she had just heard. She would have been cleaning the dungeons with Harry and Ron instead. Well Hermione, she told herself. I think it's been spotted that you're a girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N- And we thought? This is kinda a cliffe, but if ya review, then it won't be 4 long! O what the hee-haw. Even if ya dun't review, im still gonna put up the next chapter, so there.*  
  
. 


	4. A very pissed-off Hermione agrees to the...

A/N- 4th chapter here. Come and read it! (*  
  
DISCLAIMER: ok, you have 20 seconds to answer who this all belongs to. Duh- duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh- duh-duh-duh-duh, duh duh duh duh duh duh duh duh. Times up. If u answered J.K.Rowling, Congratulations! U are not an airhead. If u answered Warner Brothers, than you are WRONG! In my fics, J.K.Rowling owns EVERYTHING ('cept the plot). If u answered Penguins, and Monkeys, and Zebras (o my!) then u will kindly stay after class and write on the blackboard - " I am mentally deranged, I am mentally deranged, I am."  
  
THE DECISION  
  
Hermione walked through classes for the next two days in a daze. The shock finally wore off on the third morning after "The Asking". The Trio was at a late breakfast, and Ron had just finished buttering a piece of toast when -  
  
"Seamus asked me to go to the Yule Ball with him." Hermione said dully.  
  
" That's nice." said Ron, who was concentrated on his toast.  
  
" I thought he had been looking at you funny lately. See, she was right Ron." Harry replied.  
  
" That's nice." said Ron.  
  
" So did Malfoy." Hermione said, as though she had never been interrupted.  
  
" That's nice." said Ron. " Harry, will you pass me some jam? I think this butter is a little - WHAT?" Harry just stared.  
  
" Malfoy asked me to the ball. At the exact same time as Seamus."  
  
" Are we talking about the same Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?" Harry asked.  
  
" Harry. How many Draco Malfoys do you know?" Hermione asked.  
  
" So that's a yes?" Harry asked again.  
  
" What did you say Hermione?" said Ron, wide-eyed.  
  
" Nothing. I ran away."  
  
" No wonder you've been acting funny for the past two days. I thought you'd gone mental, not answering any questions in class like that." Harry said.  
  
" When did they ask you?" Ron said.  
  
" While you guys were in detention. I had been expecting it from Seamus. I knew he was going to ask me. But Malfoy - he - he asked too, and things got ugly from there."  
  
" So what are you gonna do Herm?" asked Harry.  
  
" She's going to go with Seamus of course! What else?" Ron retorted  
  
Hermione found herself a little angry at this last comment. Yes, she was probably going with Seamus, but why was Ron playing mother and making decisions for her?  
  
" How do you know I'm going with Seamus? I might just be planning on going with Malfoy thanks."  
  
" Hah, hah. Funny Herm. But you'll never pull a joke like that on us."  
  
" Oh yeah? Well, Ronald Weasley, I think I'm going to go with Malfoy just to spite you."  
  
" You wouldn't!" Ron said with horror.  
  
" I think she's being serious." said Harry, who was half laughing at Ron, but half feeling sick at Hermione's decision.  
  
" I am. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find a certain Malfoy and inform him of my decision." Hermione said, and started making her way to the doors.  
  
" The world is coming to an end." Ron said miserably. Before you know it, she's going to go over to You-Know-Who's side."  
  
As the two watched their best friend leave, Harry hoped to anything that Ron was joking.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione didn't know what to do. She had never even thought of considering going to the ball with Malfoy, but Ron had made her so mad! And she just couldn't resist the temptation of seeing the look on his face when she said she wanted to go with their sworn enemy. Now Hermione felt utterly stupid. What could she do? Yes, there was the choice of going back to the Gryffindor table and pretending it was all a big joke. But Hermione didn't feel like doing that. She was not in the mood to get some cocky comment from Ron about "knowing it was a joke the whole time." So Hermione gritted her teeth, pushed aside all thoughts of having a nice night at the ball with Seamus, and tried to get Malfoy's attention.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Draco Malfoy was in a fix. He had summoned up the courage (not that he lacked it in the first place) to ask the Mudblood to the Yule Ball, and what had she done? Run away. It was horribly embarrassing, and he was very glad the only other person that had been there was Finnigan. A girl running away from a Malfoy. It was shameful. Not to mention, he was loosing the bet. Which was not good at all. It was a simple bet. All that was required was to get one's sworn enemy of five years to go to a school dance. Not hard really. Yet he was loosing. Draco sighed. He was NOT looking forward to being Pansy's pet for a week. Stupid Hermione. he thought. Always messing something up. Now she'll probably go apologize to Finnigan, and agree to go with him. Or she'll spend the whole dance in the library. I wouldn't have minded going with her really. But that's just because I wouldn't want to loose the bet. he quickly thought. He pushed aside the other reason he might have wanted to go with Hermione into the back of his mind. It was curiously disgusting, this other reason. And Draco had no idea why he had thought it, but he tried not to again in a hurry. He was just sinking into even more depressing thoughts (like how he was suppose to explain Mr. Twinkles to the whole school), when he felt a rough tap on his shoulder.  
  
" What?" Draco asked sourly, as Crabbe continued to pound on his arm.  
  
" Who's that girl waving at you? I think she wants to talk to you or something. Ow. My head hurts now. I think I thought to much." Crabbe answered.  
  
" What girl?" Draco asked, ignoring Crabbe's last two comments.  
  
" The one by the doors."  
  
" Oh." was all Draco could say. Because there, waving at him in an awkward manner was Hermione Granger. And she looked like she might have had a change of heart about the Yule Ball.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Seamus Finnigan was in a very bad mood. He had never been so confused and angry in his life. He had been so nervous when he asked Hermione to the ball, then felt relief when he said it. And Seamus was pretty sure she was going to say yes, really he was. But for some un-known reason, Draco Malfoy had asked Hermione to the ball, at the exact same time. Seamus for the life of him couldn't figure out why. He knew Hermione was bound to have some other admirers, what with how she had changed over the summer. But Draco Malfoy? That was. scary. And it would have been ok, even though Draco asked at the same time as Seamus. Hermione could have laughed in Draco's face, taken Seamus's arm, said that she had always been waiting for this, and drawn him into a passionate kiss. Or that's what Seamus wished had happened. Instead, he got into a horrible insult contest with Malfoy, and Hermione had run away. Now Seamus couldn't stop thinking about her, and wondering if she wanted to go with him, Malfoy (at this idea, Seamus felt violently ill), or neither. It was horrible, wondering if the love of your life was going to turn you down for one of Voldemort's followers. Seamus suddenly felt depressed, and began to wallow in self-pity. A sudden movement caught his attention by the doors. And Seamus's wondering quickly became a nightmare, as he watched Draco Malfoy walk over to Hermione, grab her shoulder, and lead her out of the Great Hall. Seamus wallowed even more.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hermione grimaced with pain. Draco Malfoy's fingers were practically glued onto her shoulder blades. She didn't know where they were going, but she let Draco lead her out of the Great Hall anyway. He pushed her down a corridor, down some stairs, and into an empty classroom.  
  
" Ok, we can't be seen in here. Now what did you want to talk to me about Hermione?" Draco asked with hope in his voice. " If it's about the Yule Ball, then I can explain. I just wanted you to go with me, what with how pretty yo."  
  
" Cut the crap Malfoy" Hermione interrupted. " I'm very sure you don't really want to go to the ball with me because you suddenly like me. And in no way do I like you. But if you still want to go with me, I'm willing. I've got my reasons, you've got yours."  
  
" Well, if you put it that way Granger. then yes, I'll still go with you. But why the sudden change of heart?" Draco asked.  
  
" Ron." Hermione said between pursed lips. " You?"  
  
" Er, a, er, a bet. I had to get you to go to the ball with me, or else, something rather unpleasant was going to happen."  
  
" Not that I really want to help you win a stupid Slytherin bet, but I want to get back at Ron so bad. He's so over - protective, and he makes decisions for me. Do you know what he said the other day? He said " Hermione, I think you need to start wearing high-neck robes. The ones you wear are to revealing." And then he told Harry that I was going to the ball with Seamus. He didn't even ask me!" Hermione wailed. Draco just let her talk. It seemed like she had wanted to say all of this for ages.  
  
I kind of feel sorry for her. He thought. Wow, Granger looks pretty when she's upset. Maybe taking her to the ball won't be so bad.  
  
" Hey, Hermione. This ball thing might be sort of fun; I mean us going together and all. Maybe?"  
  
Hermione stared at Draco Malfoy like he has grown three heads. And she laughed. He looked back at her, and burst out in a fit of laughter too.  
  
" That's a good one Malfoy. You may a pale blonde haired jerk, but at least you can joke. Well, got to go. Harry and Ron will be wondering if we're in a closet somewhere making out. Guess I need to go stop their worrying. And if anybody asks, yes, we're going to the ball with each other, NO, we are not going out, k? See you in class tomorrow." With that, Hermione rushed out of the room, leaving Draco standing by himself.  
  
He grinned at the prospect of winning the bet, and was half way out of the room when he stopped. He had just remembered something Hermione had said when he told her that the ball might be fun when they went together. Herman had laughed, and answered " You may be a pale blonde jerk, but at least you can joke." He had laughed with her - it was kind of funny at the time. But now, Draco realized with growing alarm, that he hadn't been joking. 


End file.
